Drain-valve.



c. L. ARMSTRONG.

. DRAIN VALVE. APPLICATION FILED win: 10, 1910.

984,994. 4 I Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GLOYID L. ARMSTRONG, OF LIMA, OHIO.

DRAIN-VALVE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLoYn L. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of'the United States, residing at Lima, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drain-Valves, of which the following is a specification. '1

This invention relates to a drain valve for the water feed pipe of a locomotive, which permits the pipe to automatically drain after the pump or injector ceases operating, so that freezing of the pipe in cold weather will be prevented.

The invention has for one of its objects'to improve and simplify the construction and.

operation of devices of this character so as to be comparatively slmple and IIIQXPGIISIVS to manufacture, rellable and eflicient in use,

, and so designed as to be entirely automatic.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve which is normally held open by a spring so that the water supply pipe between the injector and check valve of a locomotive will be open to the atmosphere, and when the injector starts, the valve will automatically-close so that water will pass to the boiler, there being means for holding the valve seated when it is to be cut out of use, as in warm weather.

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a side view of a locomotive showing the drainage valve applied to the water feed pipe. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section of the valve. 7

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the usual check valve through which the'water passes from the feed pipe 2 to the boiler 3, the water being supplied by an injectors or an equivalent device. At the base of the .elbow 4' of the check valve 1, the drainage device A is applied' This drainage device comprises a plug or valve casing 5 which has its upper end formed with tapering screw threads 6 which engage in an opening 7 in the bottom of the elbow 4. This'plug Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 21, 1911. Application filed June 10, 1910. Serial No. 566,225.

drains from the elbow 4 and pipe "2, there being an outlet opening lin-v the bottom of the chamber '8, and, if desired, a drainage pipe 10 can be screwed into this opening'to carry the water down underthe locomotive.

On the upper end-of the plug 5 isa conical valve seat llwith which engagesamushroom or puppet valve 12 thathas a body 5 hasalchamber '8throu h which the-water portion 13 extending into the chamber- 8.

This body 13 is connected,- by a combined swivel and slip joint, to the inner end ofa stem 14 which extends into the plug through an opening 15 in the bottom of the,plug,.the ,said openingbeing tapped-so as to be en-' gaged by the thread 16 on the stem. The outer end of the stem has a hand Wheel 1 7 so that, by turning the wheel, the stem can be moved longitudinally.

Interposed between the bottom of the chamber 8 and bottom of the valve 12,

is a helical spring 18 which serves to hold the valve yieldingly open, and this spring is of such tension that the'valve can automatically close as soon as the injector starts to operate. The inner end of the stem has a reduced portion 20 that passes through an opening 21 in the body of the valve, and on the extremity of this reduced portion is a head 22 that engages a shoulder 23 at the bottom of the valve body. By means of this valve can freely open and close independently of the stem and yet the stern can be turned When it is desired to positively close the valve;

When the water feed-device is not in oper- *ation, the valve 12 will be held open by the spring 18. As soon as the injector starts to operate, the pressure of the fluid in the feed pipe 2 Will cause the valve to close against the tension of the Spring 18 and thereby prevent water from leaking out of the drainage device; \Vhen the steam sup ply is cut off from the injector, the flow of water to thewboiler will cease and, as a consequence, pressure acting on the valve 12 connection between the valve and stem, the i will be reduced to a point less than the pressure exerted by the spring 18. Consequently, the valve 12 will open and permit the water to drain out of the pipe 2. In warm weather, there is no necessity for draining the pipe 2 and at this time the valve 12 will be closed. To close the valve, the hand wheel 17 is turned me. direction to move the stem 14 outwardly until the head 22 engages the connection with the accompahying ;'(h-mv ingfthe advantages of the construction, andof the method of operation will'be readily 5p-- parent-t0 those skilledfijn the artl 'to'wh ic h the intentionappertains', and wh11e'I have? deseribed theprinoiple of operation of the qgfinvrition, together, with the ldevic'e whioh' I. now consideritof be the best ernbfodiment'i 2 th'eieof I desire toihave itlunderto'od thtit} the device shown, is merely fi1lustrative,iandV thatfsiich changes may be "made when de sired "as: are ithinv the "scope" of the claims I lfl. A drain devioe coinpfi singh casing 205 including flvalve seat, 91 valveedapted to i f engage the seat, apringi in f heloasing on which the va'1ve- 'rejs'ts and by' whichltf'is pring, means; for turning? vthe I etem a -1o stmotion connection between theinh'er' end of the 1 sternfand the valve-for 'permit'tingfthe valve to '0 en and dose independently "of the stem, an for permitting; thevalve to 2.-A" adraina,ge 'device for liquid by tntnin g ofthe stern, snid vii-Ive being held in cooperativerelation with [he sent hylwn oleensvof the lost lnotion connection between the stem and valve, and ineh'ns'fm draining from the casing liquid that enters the Same when the'vnlve lsopen.

e o p y condmtslcomprgslng a caslng lmvmg an extel-m1 thretd at its upper-end and also, proyi'ded with a vali e seatjnt itfsi1pper end,':snid e sin a m a iopfi i d 5 mpped openmg infi tsvbottom, e et val ve arranged to normally project out o th'ej cas- "mg fend adapted to engage'gthesaid seal, there being a' portibn lof fthe valve extending into. the casing, a'thregded v stlye stem; en-

gaged in the tappedfopening endektending into the yalyega jswi vel and. lost 'motion conheotion' jbetween lthe valve, and stem, and a hold, the Valve open, sajd'.;,spring eingf L rallywvoundaronhd the stem; 'into the casing-and passing-through the 1 spring interposed between the' bottom of the valve andhottom of the casingto ieldingl'y in' presenceaof two witnesses; 

